Trump comments sting in Puerto Rico amid slow recovery

This June 18, 2018 file photo shows an aerial photo of the Viequez neighborhood, east of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where people were still living in damaged homes, protected by blue plastic tarps, nine months since Hurricane Maria devastated the island.(Photo: Dennis M. Rivera / AP, file)

San Juan, Puerto Rico – President Donald Trump’s assertion that the federal response to Hurricane Maria was “an incredible, unsung success” is falling flat in Puerto Rico, where islanders are still struggling to recover a year later.

An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm’s aftermath when medical resources were strained beyond the breaking point, and for many, Trump’s boast is hard to square with their daily reality.